Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-09-07
A BACHELORS REWARD.

It was cold January day. John Steele
sat alone in his Office, in the midst of
deep reverie.
It was seldom that he was idle, as he was
at the present time, but this evening the
memories of the past came f1ocking upon
him like ghosts from another land.
John Steele was bachelor of forty. He
had been born and reared poor boy, in
the little town of NJ, and had never
felt desire to leave it. He had studied
law and plodded along year after year in
the dingy, grimy Office, in which we find
him now, and had grown rich. He had no
personal friends, and lived alone in large,
old frame house at the outskirts of the
town, with a man servant as cook and
general man-of-all-work.
Years and years before, when young
man of twenty, poor and aimless, Steele
had loved girl whose parents would not
let her marry him because he was so worth
less. In his rage he blamed her for this
and would listen to no reason, and from
that day had hated women and had led
solitary life. It was this scene that now
held John Steele in his office chair, as the
mantle of night gathered over the town.
"More than twenty years ago." he mused,
"and don't believe / have ever spoken
to a woman, except on business, since that
day. They say she married no-account
wretch after all, who has sunk down to
poverty and want. Well, we'll, I must not
waste time thinking about such things
now. was only boy then, and did not
know what wanted. I must be going"
Whereupon he arose, buttoned his coat
about him, locked his Office and trudged on
his homeWard journey.
Rumor had it about town that, although
by her parents influence, Katie Drew had
married shortly after her refusal of Steele,
that she had loved him dearly. This was
most likely true, but as twenty years had
past, the matter had faded from the gen.
eral mind to give way to more lively gos-
sip. ,,,.,
Steele ate his supper in silence. Will
liam, his man-of.allWork, had very good
meal prepared for, though Steele was
close isted he believed in good eating, good
clothes and comfortable living.
"Now, William" said Steele, when he
had finished, "if you fix me up enough
holiday. And here is your money and
five dollars to have time with. No holi-
day for me; don't need any and don't
want any,"
"Thank you, Mr.. Steele, for your good
ness" said William. "But, Mr.. Steele,
don't you never take any extra pleasure
at all? You know L used to know you
when YOU was little fellow; and I can
remember seeing your good mother hold
ing you at the old church so you could see
the Christmas tree. And you was wee
little tod then, and you clapped your little
hands in glee, and your mother would kiss
YOUR baby face and talk baby talk to you.
It don't seem like that was near forty years
ago, Mr.. Steele, but it was"
"Confound the fellow" grumbled Steele,
as he sat down in his room that night to
read. "If should listen to him he would
upset me. don't know what is the mat
ter with me this evening, anyhow. I nev-
er felt so queer in my life. l guess l am
using too much tobacco Of late"
He read until bedtime, and was in the
act of taking off his boots, when he heard
knock at the front door.
"Wonder who that is," he thought.
"Something unusual at this place."
He listened a moment and there came
another knock.
"What the deuce can that William be
doing that he don't 60 to the door ?" said
Steele. II want to 60 to bed, and it may
be some one that wants me.
"To borrow money, I guess. Well, un-
less they have good security, not cent do
they get"
At this juncture William opened the
door. Steele heard an indistinct conversa-
tion, and then William conducted the Wis
itor to the kitchen. After some moments
William came walking into the room.
"Well, what is it?"
"Excuse me, Mr.. Steele, but there is a
Door woman in the kitchen who needs some
help badly. Pm sure she does, for she
don't look as common beggar. She says
she has walked through the cold all the way
from the last town, and is most dead"
Eyes, that is what they all say. Give
her something to eat and send her on"
"But 1 wish you would come and see
| her."